Combined tie-plate and rail-brace



D. F. VAUGHAN.

COMBINED TIE PLATE AND RAIL BRACE.

' APPLICATION FILED OCT- 3.1919- 1,342,194. Patented June 151920.

UNITED STATES DAVID F. VAUGHAN, OF RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED TIE-PLATE AND BAIL-BRACE,

Application filed October 3, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID F. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverton, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Tie-Plates and Rail-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined tie plates and rail braces for supporting and bracing railroad rails at various places in railroad structures.

Many plates and braces for this purpose have been made by riveting or bolting the plates and braces, but their usefulness has always been limited by the wear and loosen ing of the bolts or rivets under the great strain and vibration to which they are subjected by passing traffic.

An object of the invention is to strengthen the union between the tie plate and the rail brace by combining a plate and a casting, interlocked in such a manner that the resulting structure will possess great strength and durability; another object of the invention is to provide a novel structure which may be manufactured at low cost and yet be strong and durable; and a further object of the invention is to form a structure in which the plate and the brace are related in a novel and inexpensive manner to provide the plate with a shoulder engaged by a part of the brace to resist the lateral thrust of a rail supported on the plate and engaging the brace.

WVith the above and related objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a combined tie plate and rail brace illustrating one form of embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the plate and brace, on line 3-'3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 3 designates the tie plate, and 4 the rail brace.

The plate 3 is preferably formed of rolled steel and of substantially uniform thickness throughout, enabling me to out the same from stock plate steel. The main body 5 of the plate 3 is adapted to rest directly upon a railroad cross tie and to receive and sup- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

Serial No. 328,191.

port a rail or rails thereon; and the end portion 6 of the plate 3 is raised above the main body portion 5 forming a shoulder 7 at the junction of the body portion 5 and the raised portion 6, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The rail brace 4 comprises a base portion 8, an inclined body portion 9 rising from the base 8, lateral ribs 10 connecting the edges of the base 8 with theedges of the body 9, and a projection 11 extending from the body 9 over the main body 5 of the plate 3,'as illustrated. The brace body 9 and its projection 11 are shaped to fit against one side of a railroad rail 12, resting upon the main body 5 of the plate 3 and engaging the brace 4, as shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1, the projection 11 entering and fitting the fishing space of the rail 12. The base 8 rests upon the raised portion 6 of the tie plate'3, and the brace 4, at the union of its base 8 and inclined body portion 9, is shaped to conform to and to rest against the shoulder 7 of the plate 3 and thereby assist the brace 4 in resisting the lateral thrust of the rail 12 engaged therewith.

The space between the bottom of the raised portion 6 of the plate 3 and the plane of the bottom of the main body portion 5 thereof is filled by a horizontally extending part 13 which is connected to the base 8 of the brace 4 by parts 14 which extend vertically through suitably spaced openings 15 in the raised portion 6 of the plate 3.

p The entire rail brace 4 with the parts 13 and 14 are formed of a single casting, preferably of cast steel or malleable iron; and, in manufacturing my improved device, the plate 3 is first formed with the raised portion 6 having the holes 15 therein. The plate 3 or the raised end portion 6 thereof is then placed within the mold in which, the brace 4 and parts 13 and 14 are cast. The molten metal which is to form the casting is then poured into the mold, filling the same and entering the openings 15 in the plate 3 and forming the entire brace 4 and the parts 13 and 14 in a solid integral structure which extends through and engages the top and the bottom of the tie plate 3. The parts 13 and 14 firmly connect the rail brace 4 to the tie plate 3 in a strong and durable manner, and the shrinkage of the brace 4 and the parts 13 and, 14 when cooling only tends to increase their grip upon the tie plate 3.

The plate and brace illustrated in the drawings are designed to be used in connection with guard rails, the main body 5 of the plate 3 being made long enough to receive the guard rail 12, previously referred to, and the adjacent track rail 16, shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1.

' The plate 3 and brace 4 are provided with a spike hole 17 and spike slots 18, 19 and 20 through which spikes may be driven in securing the plate 3 and brace 4E and the rails 12 and 16 mounted on the plate 3 together and to an underlying cross tie, in the usual well known manner.

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to use in connection with guard rails and that it may be used in any part of a railroad structure where a tie plate and rail brace are desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a rolled steel tie plate having a rail brace cast upon the same and shrunk into locking engagement therewith.

2. In a device of the character described, a tie plate having a rail brace cast upon the same and embracing parts thereof and shrunk into locking engagement therewith.

3. In a device of the character described, a tie plate having an opening therein and having a rail bracecast upon the same and extending through the opening therein and engaging the top and the bottom thereof and shrunk into locking engagement therewith.

L. In a device of the character described, a tie plate adapted to support a rail on the main body thereof and having an end portion raised from the main body of the plate and having an opening therein, and a rail brace cast upon the raised portion of the plate and extending through the opening therein and engaging the top and the bottom thereof and shrunk into locking engagement therewith.

5. In a device of the character described, a tie plate adapted to support a rail on the main body thereof and having an end portion raised from the main body of the plate and forming a shoulder and having an opening therein, and a' rail brace cast upon the raised portion of the plate and extending through the opening therein and engaging said shoulder and the top and the bottom of the raised portion of the plate and shrunk into locking engagement therewith.

6. In a device of the character described, a tie plate adapted to support a rail on the main body thereof and having an end portion raised from the main body thereof, the

raised portion of the plate having an opening therein and forming a shoulder at its junction with'the main body of the plate, a

rail brace mounted on the raised portion of the plate and having a part engaging said shoulder, the engagement of said part with said shoulder being adapted to reslst lateral thrust of a rail supported upon the plate and engaging the brace, and parts extending from the brace'and through said opening and engaging the bottom of the plate and securing the brace thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature hereto.

DAVID F. VAUGHAN. 

